Friday, May 25, 2007

As I listen to this Five for Fighting song-100 years, I realized that what if I only got 100 years to live??? (I wish so...)

I'm 20+<30 right now, and I could say, achievement wise, I don't have that much except that I have made myself commit to serve in the ministry, vindicating myself while glorifying God as I see how my kid students are learning.

If I got only 100 years to live, I might probably do the following:

- Finish my commitment in my job
- Get out of my job
- Go to the north pole by next year
- Go back to the lower north pole after my adventure to the north pole
- Find a good husband (LOL)
- Get married @ 27 or 28
- Bear kids @ 28 or 29
- Put up my restaurant business with my sis
- Live a hopefully happy family life
- Cope up with the troubles of kid-raising
- Cope up with the troubles of projected cold relationships (hope this won't happen)
- Cope up with the difficulties of aging
- Retire @ 65
- Put up a foundation after my retirement
- Continue to serve in the ministry
- Focus on healthy living while aging
- Be a living guide to my descendants
- Wait for God's final call before I leave earth

Sounds weird, hehe but its all in my thoughts, and I don't know why. Well, its all for the sake of thought, and as I've said before, I should not pre-empt God's plan for me...it might be completely different, but for sure its the best.

How about u? What will you do if you only got 100 years to live?

:D

My today's advice by the way is: Never give up on anybody, miracles happen everyday! wow! hehe

Work is so complicated this mad Friday, and I was expecting this since last night. As I woke up this morning, I spelled out a short cry for God's help. This day is a torture, it was just my 4th week on board in this new job assignment, and yet, an armful pressure from the effects of issues I had never known is piling up my load. I couldn't imagine how I am able to breathe after the day's troubles.

Thank God that He's making me live another day in this workplace. Good thing that my bonus will be coming soon. *jump* I feel that we deserve that because of our patience with their cleverness in taking advantage of our almost terminated status resulting from the sale of our business unit. They should be really thankful that while they were counting on us to complete the product transition from the company to the new one, our group is able to make it through. And now, it'll be 4 months to go before the business unit fully closed down in the phils. Hence I was now in my new job assignment while waiting for the full transition of the last cellular product I handled (ending in June).

Another iron strike just hit last Wednesday when the management announced that the Flash business will be sold. I feel sad for my friends who belongs to that group. They'll be waiting for 4-6 months before the deal will be closed, and by that time, they'll know if they still have a job or not.

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With the happenings around our company, I feel that this just reflects how the Philippine economic environment had become less profitable as before for foreign manufacturing firms. With the high power costs but intermittent supply, increasing labor cost, political instability, graft and corruption, bureaucracy, and all the other ugly things you could think this land have, firms are starting to divert their businesses to more promising Asian countries.

Taking China as an example, our firm had just pledged to invest around $4 billion dollar by 2010 to build a chipset factory. In Vietnam, a 5000 sq. meter plant is in-progress, and this will pave way for the industrialization of this once war-zone country.

With the sale of our business unit last year, followed by the recent confirmation of long-time rumored sale of the other business unit, the remaining chipsets and microprocessor factory could not be far from ending its life in the Philippines.

If I was in the investor's shoes, I might do the same. Its the businessman's mindset to look for ways to cut operating costs and maximize profitability. Once they start to build the planned chipset factory in China, it will be more or less, the start of the slow down of the company's operations in the Philippines. Should this happen, it will make approx. 5000 people in the neighborhood jobless. :(

We might say that we Filipinos have a language proficiency advantage, but we should be well aware that our Asian counterparts are investing a lot to train their people in this aspect. Though not very fluent, they could express their thoughts well and this once strong barrier to international trade and capitalization is slowly breaking down.

What could possibly be done by our government to prevent this under this circumstances? Our firm, as far as I know, was recently stated to be the Philippines top export contributor in terms of dollar value. As for myself, I don't see myself staying with the company beyond next year. I almost stay out if I was not offered with this new assignment.

Wednesday, May 23, 2007

Blogging has never been this fun, while checking my multiply site, i noticed that Abi, the girl whose part of SGIM site creation had posted in my guestbook. She just made a heads up that the site is all up now. So I went to her Multiply site and leave a note of thanks and congratulate her for a job well done. The site BTW really rocks! hehe

I learned that she's part of that site creation thingy because she posted it in her blog. And as I've run through it again a while ago, I can't help but laughing and be entertained with the way she writes her blog entries in Tagalog. Taga-UP indeed, very humurous with her punchlines and bloglines that just pounds reality in your head. She does mention an account of encounter with the name of that fictitious text world superstar-Ederlyn, whose by the way, I only got to knew last year while everybody else does.

I would say she could make a great writer, however, looks like she's into IT, and she's pretty whining about this nation that gives more importance to nursing and call centers rather than "sining" or art. I was a bit moved by that, 'coz somehow within my nerves, I have some passion for simple artworks. :P

Well, there'll be more days to come and I'll be looking forward for more of her kwela stories.

I have God-inspired dreams for my future, but I need to be spiritually awake to make those dreams come true. While it may seem odd to close my eyes in order to wake up, this is exactly what is needed for me to be awake in a spiritual sense.

So I do close my physical eyes as I relax into a time of silent reflection. I discover a deeper awareness of Spirit within and around me. In this state, I am awakened again to my oneness with God. I recognize that my dreams for the future are the God-given desires of my heart.

I am awake to God's presence and filled with the joy of Spirit. My God-given dreams become my reality.

"My eyes are awake before each watch of the night, that I may meditate on your promise."--Psalm 119:148

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An inspiring daily devotion. This is in time for my upcoming realization of one big dream. I hope that God will expedite the time, I believe He'll grant me that wish, but we could never pre-empt God's plan and we can never get ahead of what He thinks, so I'll just leave everything to Him! :D

Monday, May 21, 2007

I went to a Ticketnet outlet near my place to pick-up my 10 LB ticket reservation for SGIM concert on July 14. I was a bit awkward to spell out what show am I going to buy tickets for, 'coz it seems that I'm the only one whose buying showtickets this afternoon. However, I still manage to get composed and act as if its nobody's business (which really is!)

The saleslady in the counter asked how many am I going to buy, so I told her that I have 10 seats reservation already, but would need 14, coz there are 2 people who asked me to bought them tickets too. The lady seems to be surprised by the quantity I just told her and somewhat misunderstood me, thinking I was just going to buy without that reservation. Good thing she thought of clarifying it to me. So it was cleared and settled.

The first batch of tickets to be printed out were the 4 without reservation. I will have to charge all the tickets to my Visa, coz I don't have cash, and the people who ride in my purchase will pay me sometime later. Well, charging the amount doesn't make a difference, coz the price is just the same as cash purchases (PHP1,575 for LB +PHP 10 res. fee - incl. of tax).

And so the tickets were printed, and the saleslady, to my patience, was really having a hard time transacting my purchase in that POS terminal. Seems it was their first time doing that transaction, if not, perhaps its not often that people buy showtickets in that branch of Ticketnet. It took around 20 mins to finish the first transaction.

Now, come to my 10 seats reservation, it took the saleslady another 20 minutes to check where in that dumbed computer is my reservation. This saleslady had even asked the other cashier in the CS desk how to view that ticket order, and when she does succeed accessing the list of reserved seats, the monitor had shut down (LOL). And the lady, with the other fellow 2 cashier were a little bit rattled there.

To no avail, they failed to do the transaction of my reserved tickets in the next couple of minutes, so I've waited another 10 mins until their Supervisor came to do the transaction herself. It was almost "thanks to her", but again, the problem now is that she doesn't know how to enter the payment in the POS, so she called another saleslady again to do it. I don't know if its right for me to just stare and patiently wait....

Finally, my purchase was fully completed after 1 hour and 20 mins. And whew! my credit card was charged PHP 20K+in just a span of time! I seldom do this, but so to not loose that opportunity to get those good seats. Anyway, I'm happy though, what a day in the mall again!

Next step is to wait until July 14 comes.

Thank God that even if its a Monday, its not really manic so I felt pretty cool until now. :)

Sunday, May 20, 2007

I just had 10 tickets reserved today for the SGIM concert on July 14. Gonna pick it up this afternoon at SM Ticketnet outlet. I'm not so excited, its just that I want to get good seats :D. I was discussing with someone else what seats are the best, we should be opting for patron , however, we realized its difficult to look up all the time. So in the end, we all agreed for the Lower box section. Good that I've got Row A seats :D at the best possible angle :). Reservation fee costs us an additional PHP 85/ticket, but I guess its better than wasted chance :D

I've pulled off all resources I could think just to get ticket this early! Am I that much obssessive? Haha! You bet! :D

Tuesday, May 15, 2007

What a day to start with: I got updates about SG In Motion concert, and it start my stressful Tuesday this 12AM! Its really cracking me up whenever I visit SG site coz the people are so restless waiting for more new press releases for the SGIM event on July 14, 2007.

I'm not used to watching concerts, but I guess, this time will be a good time :D

My day at work was not very good, I had several errors. So there you go, I had been highlighted again, another day with bunch of issues. Really stressed over my work :( Back home, I still work and work 'coz 8 hours seems to be not enough to do all my load. I wish my Monahans could end its life really soon!

I feel so tired right now, but I was rattled by more SG updates and new SGIM poster (the whole one). Sarah was so gorgeous, but, but.... the leggings is still not spared! That's why she stays at the 2nd spot of my gorgeous list...how about that!!!??? haha

At least I was a little bit relieved from my stress learning new updates...what a heck...SG is becoming my favorite hobby now!

Restless maybe, restless over SG, over friends, over PEX...oh, what I life I had! I wish I could just marry a man today LOL!

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Before I wrap this up, I encourage you to listen to Christian praise and worship songs. So uplifting! To God be the glory! You're worthy of praise!

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Oh mighty and Holy God, thank you for this day, for the moments to feel stressed that I may humbly seek Your Kingdom and acknowledge Your power over all things. If I never felt this way, perhaps I could never think of thinking about You and Your mercy, Your power and grace. Despite my shortcomings and stubborness, You keep on making difficult things resolved for me, without my own hands doing the works of resolution. You are working in mysterious ways, ways we cannot see, we cannot understand, but those ways always makes things possible. Forgive me Lord for at times, I loose trust and faith through demonstration of anxiety over things I cannot control. I lay all the things that makes my life difficult before you Oh God. You have the power to control, You have the power to make all things possible, and I rest my trust in You that by tomorrow, when I come to work, You have already make everything alright, with your instruments to the rescue, arriving at the right time and the right place. Thank You Lord!

Sunday, May 13, 2007

Happy Mother's Day to all moms! Its already Monday so this is kinda late. Anyway, I have greeted my mom today via Tiramisu Meltdown Cake :D

I thought I would not be able to get one, good thing there's still stocks left in Red Ribbon at SM Sta. Rosa, the other RR branch here ran out of cakes! OMG!

Glad that mother is happy...and its their wedding anniversary today! Happy Anniversary too to you our parents! I just pray that may God continually bind you and this family's relationship together. Whatever storms we have gone through, its all in the past, and let's learn from our mistakes. Moving forward, I am delighted to open another chapter in our lives. And I hope i could be able to start my own too.

I got excited after learning that Sarah Geronimo's next concert series will begin in July 2007 and will be brought to the US from August to September 2007. I am really hoping that I could watch this in Araneta (per initial press release). This sounds big, and something new and hip will be seen from Sarah.

I really like this kid since she emerges as the most promising total performer of this generation. Truly, one Multimedia Superstar :D

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Here's her IN MOTION USA TOUR schedules, hope they could release the Philippine playdate soon!Photo credited to Ledina Productions Weblog

Saturday, May 12, 2007

If you have watched Wowowee today, you might have seen Mon-mon singing Hawak Kamay.

He is a special child of one of the contestants in Wowowee and I am certain in saying that is child is a wonder boy. :D Despite his condition, he's a smart kid, who's good in spelling and could even sing that Yeng Constantino's inspirational hit song. I was wondering how he could deliver the song when being asked by host Willie Revillame to come to the stage and sing 'coz its his favorite according to him.

But then, silence dwell among the people in the studio as he starts singing. He could hardly speak because of his defects, and when he sing out the lines of the song...God...you must have been using this boy to realize how blessed we normal human beings are! It seems every words of the song is well matched to what he is going through that even if me and my mother was only watching in television, tears broke out as we hear his song.

I couldn't contain my tears...its a mixed emotion of happiness, pity, encouragement, and inspiration...I will find a video link for you to check it too.

An added blessing for Mon-mon, Willie announced later in the show that the famous movie director Maryo J. Delos Reyes is interested in getting Mon-mon for a movie.

Thank God its Saturday! It was a very busy week and I really miss so many things. One of those is doing the daily praise and worship song jamming I used to have with either myself or my sister. This is when I listen to purely Christian music along with my supposed to be daily devotion. Unfortunately, I was so hooked up with tons of work in my job and with PinoyExchange - SG kingdom thread. PEX is where I enjoy having forum conversation with other SG fans whom some happened to be a believer. However, I failed to do what's supposed to be my first priority.

On the other hand, while im mingling with other people in PEX, i got to share as well the goodness of the Lord through grace sharing with material blessings and encouragement. But still, my conscience is telling me not to forsake the most important thing which devotion. It's where I could reinforce my spiritual being and be alive and fighting against the odds of living in this complicated world...

It'll be Sunday tomorrow, glad that I'll be able to come to our worship service again. Thank God that we're living in a free country where we can freely do this. And it's Mother's Day tomorrow! :D HAPPY MOTHER's DAY NANAY! :D

What's more? It's my day off from Sunday school too...good time to spend the day with my mom :D